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Results:Well done to our Senior and Intermediate hurlers who qualified for their respective mid finals over the weekend with victories over Drom/Inch and Moycarkey Borris. The Minor hurlers began their championship campaign with a victory over Moycarkey/Borris.

Fixtures:The Intermediate hurlers play Shannon Rovers on Saturday next July 25th in Dolla at 7:15p.m in the last county championship group game. Our minor hurlers continue their championship with their second group match this evening against Boherlahan/Dualla. The Junior A team play Moyne Templetouhy in their third group game this weekend check fixtures elsewhere for exact time..

Andy Rossiter 7 a side Tournament:On August 8th we are hosting a 7 a side hurling tournament in honour of the late Andy Rossiter a great clubman who we want to remember with an annual hurling tournament. We hope that everyone involved with the club past and present will make an effort to attend at some point during the day.The tournament itself begins at 11a.m with 2 groups of 5 teams with the top 2 teams from each group qualifying for the semi-finals and the 3rd place teams in each group playing off for the Andy Rossiter Shield. The final will take place at 4p.m and following presentation of the Andy Rossiter perpetual trophy there will be a BBQ and live music in the clubhouse from 6p.m. It promises to be a great day in memory of a great clubman so be sure to put the date in your diary. Saturday August 8th. Details of all the participating teams will be known by next weekend.

Thurles Sarsfields Supporters Club Weekly Lotto:It is renewal time for all the yearly subscribers to our weekly lotto. If your subscription is due one our promoters will call to collect. We again thank all yearly members of the weekly lotto for your continued support as the lotto is a great source of revenue for all out teams throughout the year and also will assist in the development of the new club grounds out the Racecourse Road. Thanks again to all our lotto promoters and to those who sell and purchase tickets on a weekly basis.

The comprehensive events, workshops, activities and programme were outlined by Festival Chairman Cllr Jim Ryan. The detailed programme of events received a very enthusiastic response from the large audience and is seen as a blueprint for the promotion of Sports Tourism in Thurles and Tipperary.

The nine day festival features 24 sports, national and international, as well as very attractive musical and cultural events. All speakers outlined the benefits for the town and surrounding areas. The positive feedback to this unique festival is very encouraging and has the potential to become a major international event. The target market for the first year is the Thurles and Tipperary diaspora. Thurles was the 2012 European Town of Sport and was only pipped by Westport for a similar award in 2015.

Thurles Sports fest and its enthusiastic young committee deserves all the support they get. The Festival Starts on Friday July 3rd and runs to Saturday July 11ththe programme of events is being circulated to all households.

The committee are appealing to the people of Thurles and surrounding areas to invite your friends from home and abroad to come and support our festival. The extensive programme has something to appeal to all tastes. Come and enjoy the sports, excellent music, fun run, cycling and craic.

Top Class Hurling for Tom Semple Cup

Twelve teams have entered the Tom Semple Cup. It is now the most prestigious senior hurling tournament in Ireland. This invitation only tournament has attracted teams for the USA, Europe and UK. The first winners were Kilburn Gaels while last year’s winners were Coolderry from Offaly.

It is a 13-aside competition with panel of 18. It will be run on a group basis. Top teams in each group play for the Tom Semple Cup. Second place teams play for the Carew Cup. Third place teams play for the Cantwell Cup.

There are strong Tipperary connections with many teams. Ken Hogan trains Borris Kilcotten. The secretary of Patrickswell is Michael Ryan of Toomevara. Thurles’ own Colm Rourke is a selector with St Vincents, Dublin. It is great to have St Vincents back, they had many great tussles with the Sars’ of old. Former Dúrlas ÓG and Sarsfields player Ger Collins is bringing Naomh Moneen from Louth. Stephen Mason is captain of Passage East, Waterford and Eoin Brislane is manager of Ballybrown.

John Lannigan senior took many great Sarsfield’s teams around the country. His son John is now at the helm of Thurles Sports Fest and Thurles Sarsfield’s Festival of Gaelic Sport.

After the highly successful launch of the Tom Semple book, it is indeed fitting that the Tom Semple Cup be competed for on Munster Final weekend.

For the first time Thurles Gaels have joined Thurles Sarsfields to make this festival a parish event. All the local GAA bodies are involved, Dúrlas Óg for juvenile hurling, camogie for the Helen O’Mara cup and ladies football for the Enda McDonnell Cup. For the second year Pat McKenna and Ken Conway of the Tipperary Handball Board are running a Handball Tournament in conjunction with the Festival.

RECREATIONAL ROUNDERS TO BE LAUNCHED IN THURLES

Following the success of Thurles Sarsfields International Hurling Festival and the subsequent success of Thurles Sarsfields Festival of Gaelic Sport Croke Park has now decided to launch its new Game of Recreational Rounders in Tipperary. It is an adaption of the ancient game of Rounders to bring the duration of the game back to 45 mins It is a seven aside game with mixed male and female participants with three rolling subs.

At a recent meeting in the Anner Hotel, Croke Park promoting officer Aideen Howlin outlined the request from Croke Park to the Rounders President Joe Donoghue, Andy Ryan, Tipperary County GAA board, John Lanigan and John Enright to establish the game in Tipperary.

The initial competition will be run in conjunction with Thurles Sports Fest. It is a social game which we hope will prove to be very popular. Teams from pubs, business houses, firms and social clubs are invited to enter. It is a fast moving game great fun and can be played by all age groups. This is something new and another first for Thurles. Andy Ryan is very enthusiastic about its prospects and it demonstrates a vote of confidence in Thurles Sports Fest. It is history in the making, Tipperary leads Ireland follows.

Road Bowling To Set Up In Thurles

This is the Third Year of the Michael Cusack Inter Provincial Road Bowling Competition and the Second Year of the Inter GAA Road Bowling Competition for the John Enright Shield. Following the success of the past two years Bórd Cumann Na hEireann are anxious to expand their association in Tipperary. Thurles Sports Fest is being used to put the game on a formal footing in the county.

The introduction of Social Bowling and Target Ball are very much part of Bórd Cumann Na hEireann’s expanding ambitions. It is fitting that Thurles, the founding place of the GAA, is the launch pad for this venture.

Anyone interested in road bowling should come along to Cormackstown Cross to see excellent competition on Saturday July 4th @ 12 mid day. It may be of special interest to Cork people living in the county.

Following the launch of the festival at the weekend it is now all systems go for the hard working and dilligent organising committee. If you feel that you might be able to give a hand, can spare a few hours, or would like to get involved in the Sports Fest, please come forward, give your name to the organisers and enjoy what will be a very special festival.

Jimmy Doyle was genetically and environmentally conditioned to be a Tipperary hurler, as his uncle Tommy won 5 All-Ireland Senior Medals with the Premier county, and his father Gerry had been the substitute goalkeeper on Tipperary’s successful 1937 team. Jimmy was reared literally a stone’s throw from Thurles Sportsfield which then as now was the “field of dreams” for all Munster hurlers.

Jimmy about to shoot for goal during the 1967 All-Ireland Final. The Kilkenny defender is Jim Treacy, and the other Tipperary player is Liam Devaney.

Jimmy’s talent was abundant and precocious. Though far from being big for his age, he was chosen on the Tipperary minor hurling team for the 1954 championship, with four years left at minor level. He was goalkeeper on that Tipperary team which was beaten in that year’s All-Ireland Final by Dublin. Jimmy finished his minor career with 3 All-Ireland Medals under his belt, two achieved at the expense of Kilkenny and one against Galway, with the young Thurles man invariably being the star of the show. He also played a leading part in the success of Thurles CBS in the 1956 Harty Cup.

By the time Jimmy reached his last year as a minor in 1957, he had already attracted the attention of the Tipperary senior selectors. He won his first National League medal against Kilkenny four months before he won his final minor medal, and was named on the senior team to play Cork in the 1957 Munster Championship semi-final requiring the minor selectors to keep him in reserve! A three point defeat was Tipperary’s lot in that senior match and though Jimmy was largely eclipsed by Cork’s Paddy Dowling, but he had already let his mark on the day by turning around the minor game when introduced in the latter stages of contest that had been going away from Tipp.

The following year Jimmy won his first All-Ireland senior medal and was leading scorer in the championship. He finished as the hurling championship top scorer on a record five occasions (1958, ’60, ’61, ’62, & ’64). The scores Jimmy accumulated in these years were : 1958 – 2-23, 1960 – 6-18, 1961 – 2-17, 1962 – 4-24, 1964 – 1-27. Examples of some of the scores he accumulated in individual games are ; 0-10 in the ’64 All-Ireland Final including 0-4 from play ; 0-9 in the ’61 All-Ireland final ; 1-10 in the ‘62 Munster Final ; 1-8 in the ’60 Munster Final ; 0-10 in the’64 Munster Final , and 1-8 in the ’58 All-Ireland semi-final v Kilkenny. He also scored 2-8 in the 1955 All-Ireland minor final against Galway. While inevitably “top scorers” are almost always also free-takers, it is worth bearing in mind that these scores were achieved in 60 minute games. He also was National League top scorer in 1964-65 (7-45), 1965-66 (4-20), and 1967-68 (3-50).

Jimmy added a host of honours to his early achievements, which are all detailed above. He suffered quite a lot with injuries throughout his career and played a lot of the 1960 All-Ireland Final with head bandages, and played the following year’s final only with the aid of pain-killers. This accumulation of physical attrition on his slight frame probably contributed to the fact that for most part, Jimmy played a supporting rather than a central role with Tipp from 1969 on. Though he retired in 1970, he was back again to play in the 1971 Munster Final win over Limerick but injury ensured that it was as a substitute he contributed to Tipperay’s All-Ireland victory. After this Jimmy retired again although he made a brief reappearance for Tipperary in the 1973 Munster championship first round match against Waterford in Thurles, when he stood between the sticks due to the unavailability of Roscrea’s Tadhg Murphy who was to return for subsequent matches.

Jimmy’s phenomenally successful club career ended in 1975, when he added his last County medal to the previous nine when Sarsfields defeated the Silvermines in the County Final by 3-6 to 1-10. This was Jimmy’s tenth County senior medal and his second time to captain the “Blues” to the title. He also had the honour of captaining Tipp to two All-Ireland victories in 1962, and ’65, though on the former occasion his team-mate Tony Wall had to accept the famous trophy on Jimmy’s behalf as he was unable to do so due to injury. 1965 was an extra special year in that Jimmy won All-Ireland, National League, Oireachtas, and County medals along with his brother Paddy who was part of the county set-up that year.

Jimmy Doyle is popularly regarded as perhaps the greatest forward to have donned the famous Blue and Gold ; and the self-effacing attitude and humility with which he accepts the praise and garlands which go with being one of the greatest hurlers of all-time epitomise this genuinely gracious and humble hurling legend. It is only fitting that this supreme hurling artist was an automatic choice on the Teams of the Century and Millenium.

The
long-awaited biography of Tom Semple and his legendary Thurles Blues, was
launched to a thronged main hall in Thurles Sarsfields Centre, beside Semple
Stadium, on Saturday June 13th. Performing the launch was Tom Semple’s son,
Martin, who had travelled with his wife, Jo Ann, from Denver, Colorado, to
attend the event. Other speakers on the occasion included: -Robert Frost,
Munster Council Chairman, John Devane, vice-Chairman of Tipperary County Board,
Archbishop Emeritus Dermot Clifford, Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment,
Michael Maher, Chairman Thurles Sarsfields and the author Liam Ó Donnchú.
Michael Dundon, former editor of the Tipperary Star was an efficient M.C.

Tom
Semple, the GAA icon, whose name is immortalised at Semple Stadium, is
synonymous with the game of hurling, since he led the Thurles Blues to All-Ireland
glory in 1906 and 1908. The book details the exploits of these earlier heroes
of the camán and of Tom Semple’s training regime and tactics.

The
reader can follow the Blues on their amazing tour to Brussels and historic
Fontenoy in 1910. Find out about the fascinating story of the early years of
Thurles Sportsfield, renamed Semple Stadium in Tom’s memory, and how it
developed into today’s ‘Field of Legends’.

The
role Semple and others played in the War of Independence is also detailed in
this hardback publication, which contains more than 400 pages. The book is
illustrated throughout and offers new insights into the life and times of
yesteryear.

Books
costing €30 are available from local bookshops or online from www.bookworm.ie

Thurles Sarsfields Festival of Gaelic Sport runs from Friday July 3rd through to Saturday July 11th
2015, the eve of the Munster Final with Hurling, Camogie, Ladies Football, Road
Bowling, Handball, Target Ball, and Rounders,
and is complimented this year by

“Thurles Sports Fest” a festival of more Sports, Music, Drama, and
Fun.

‘Fleadh agus Fáilte’ > A banquet and a welcome to everyone.

The first ever sports festival of
its kind in Ireland ‘Thurles Sports Fest’ will take place in various indoor and outdoor
venues around Thurles from July 3rdto July
11th with the full backing of Tipperary County
Council and Tipperary Sports Partnership, together with Tipperary Institute of
Education and supported also by Failte Ireand and Tipp FM.

Sports teams from across Ireland and abroad are set for a trip to Thurles as part of this Sports Fest. The town of Thurles will showcase the best it
has to offer as a sports, tourism and shopping destination to the thousands of
visitors who will visit the home of the G.A.A.

The feast of Sportwill see games such as Hurling, Camogie, Ladies Football, Juvenile Hurling,Road Bowling, Rounders,Handball, Target Ball for those with special needs, Squash, Basketball,
Soccer, Boxing, American Football, Fencing, Swimming Gala, Tennis, Golf, Fun
Cycle, 5Km fun run/Walk, Karate, Ladies tag rugby, Rugby, Gymnastics, and a
special feature > an International Polocrosse match between Ireland and the
U.S.A.

There will also be sports talks, fitness talks, healthy food talks,
childrens workshops, food village to include cookery demonstrations, craft
village, family funday, funfair, live music day, dance shows, bouncy castles,
climbing walls, G.A.A Heritage trail, re-enactment of the founding of the
G.A.A. in Hayes Hotel, pub music trail, trad sessions and much more.

Visitors will have the opportunity
to avail of special incentives and explore the sights of Thurles such as Semple Stadium, the
G.A.A museumLar na Pairce, Cabragh Wetlands, St Mary’s Famine Museum, Farney Castle, Holycross Abbey, Pony-trekking with Thurles
Equestrian
Centre, and Thurles Greyhound Stadium.

Jim Ryan, Chairman of the ‘Thurles Sports Fest’ says “We havegreat teams this year and
super events which we hope will make
it a special week for everyone who
visits Thurles . We thank all
teams across Ireland and abroad whowill take part in what will be a highlight of the
sporting calendar.”

The
long-awaited biography of Tom Semple and his legendary Thurles Blues, will be
launched at Thurles Sarsfields Centre, beside Semple Stadium, on Saturday June
13th at 8.00 p.m. Tom Semple, the GAA icon, whose name is
immortalised at Semple Stadium, is synonomous with the game of hurling, since
he led the Thurles Blues to All-Ireland glory in 1906 and 1908. Read about
these earlier heroes of the camán and of Tom Semple’s training regime and
tactics. Follow the Blues on their amazing tour to Brussels and historic
Fontenoy in 1910.

Find
out about the fascinating story of the early years of Thurles Sportsfield, now
Semple Stadium, and how it developed into today’s ‘Field of Legends’.

The
role Semple and others played in the War of Independence is also detailed in
this hardback publication, which contains more than 400 pages. The book is
illustrated throughout and offers new insights into the life and times of
yesteryear. All are welcome to attend the book-launch.

Books
costing €30 will be available from bookshops in Tipperary or online from www.bookworm.ie

U8's: It was great to see so many new faces at training Saturday morning. An enthusiastic training session. Please return registration forms ASAP at training to be able to continue and take part in Go game Blitzes that are coming up.

U10's: A few more new faces at training Saturday again. Great to see. Keep up the practice at home girls. The U10's take part in a Go Game blitz this Saturday in Holycross. Players will be contacted re:time and meeting place.

U12's:Our U12's took place in Templemore last week in beautiful sunshine. Borrisoleigh and Templemore proved a little to difficult to beat but we came away with a victory over Drom. Although we were missing a number of players on the day the girls played well and did their team and club proud. Keep up the training.

U14's:Our U14's are through to a play off against Borrisoleigh on Wednesday April 29th at 7pm in the county pitch in the Ragg.There will be no charge at the gate. The winners of this match will play Portroe in quarter final in Portroe at7pmMay 4th. The semi final will take place against Knockavilla in the county pitch in The RaggMay 8th at 7pm, with the Final onMay 15th at 7pm. We wish the girls and Paul all the best on their upcoming matches.

U16's/Minors/Juniors: Training continues Saturdays at 5.15 and Thursdays at 6pm. Karen Kennedy, Sarah Stakelum, Caitriona Skehan and Nicola Loughnane were our club members who played on Saturday in the All Ireland Final Minor A. They took on Kilkenny in Birr but were unlucky not to come away with a win. Hard luck girls. They will play with Tipperary Minors in the Munster Final Saturday. Good luck to all the panel.

We would like to congratulate all our club girls who made their confirmation last Saturday. We hope you all had a great day.

Can all girls and parent/guardians please ensure their daughters are insured/registered with the club as they cannot take part in Go games blitzes or training without club insurance. Please like our Facebook page: Thurles Sarsfields Camogie.

U12 & U14's: training continues Saturday mornings 11-12noon. Please return
insurance forms ASAP. New players welcome anytime at training. Jersey order
forms are available at training.
We took part in a Blitz in Borrisoleigh on 5th April. We beat Templemore and Borrisoleigh.
It was a great day and the girls played exceptional hurling. Well done girls.

U12's who took part in recent blitz in Borrisoleigh.

Our u14 played Templemore in Clonmore last Wednesday but were unfortunate to
come away without a win. They took on Gortnahoe in Gortnahoe the following
Friday and played a great match coming away with a well deserved victory. Well
done to all the girls, Paul and Liz.
They travel to Borrisoleigh to take on their girls on Wednesday 15th April at
6.45pm. The best of luck to all the girls and trainers involved.

U16's & Minors & Juniors: training continues Saturday 5.15pm and
Thursdays at 6pm. The girls are off to a great start to the season and hope to
continue their good luck when they take on Boherlahann at home on Monday 13th
April at 6.45. The very best of luck to the girls, Lenny and Louise.

Well done to our Aoife Gleeson who
Has earned a coveted place with the U14 Tipperary County team. They recently
won both matches on 4th April. Well done Aoife. We are very proud of you.

We recently supported the cycle against suicide run which took part Saturday
4th April. It was organised by the presentation secondary schooling was a great
success in raising awareness of suicide. Well done to all who helped out and
took part on the day.

All of the girls are back training in ernest at the moment. Fantastic weather so far and the girls are enjoying it.Please ensure you receive your insurance and registration forms and return as soon as possible to your trainer as you will not be registered or, more importantly, not insured until these are returned.

U8's & U10's are back training 10-11am every Saturday in the SARS pitch. Loads of new faces and all are welcome. Return insurance forms please.

U12's & 14's are back also 11-12 every Saturday morning in the SARS pitch. New players also very welcome. Please return insurance/registration forms.

U16's, minors & juniors are back in training and some matches also. Training is Thursdays 6pm and Saturday evenings at 5.15. Please continue to attend as there are some vital matches coming up!

Congratulations to 4 of our club girls who were part of the tipperary county minor A team who defeated cork yesterday. Well done to Karen Kennedy who had a great game. Best of luck to the team next Sunday at home in the county pitch in the Ragg against Kilkenny.

Some of our club girls were members of the victorious All Ireland school camogie team, The Presentation Secondary School Thurles, recently. Well done ladies.

Camogie club jersey are available to order from the club. Contact your trainer or liz Ely 0877943233 for an order form.Age 8 to 11 €30Ages 13-14 €35Adult sizes €40

Hi All. We will kick off the start of our Fundraising events for "2015" with our annual Clothes Collection. This money will go towards much needed training equipment. Bags can be dropped before or after training with your daughter. We would encourage every family to take part. The only items they won't take are Pillows, Duvets or Books. Everything else is suitable. The heavier the better.

Collections can be organised by contacting the club phone or speaking to a member of the coaching team. So let's get cracking. Thanks.Thurles Sarsfields Ladies Football.

Also we are holding our medal presentation night on the 20th of March @8pm in the SARS centre. It would be great if we had a few representatives from the main club. All are welcome.